Kana Bhinda

Kana Binda

There was once a man named Kana Bindaone of the most influential figures in his village. He owned a large number of cows and oxen, had many carts, and his spacious courtyard was always filled with highyielding buffaloes. The sound of the cows and buffaloes echoed as they mooed and rumbled, their milk pails always full.

Kana Binda was known for his generosity and kindness. People from neighboring villages would come to him for loans, and he would help them without charging interest. Anyone who came to his house seeking help never left emptyhanded. His reputation for generosity and goodwill spread far and widethere was no one like him.

One day, he set out on a journey with his ox cart. After a while, feeling tired of sitting, he decided to walk behind the cart, guiding the oxen. Suddenly, one of the oxen kicked, and Kana Binda fell under the heavy wheels of the cart. The oxen kept moving, and he was crushed beneath them.

At that very moment, a notorious thief from a distant land happened to pass by. Seeing the unattended cart and oxen, he seized the opportunity, grabbed the reins, and quickly rode away with the cart, disappearing into the horizon.

Days passed, and Kana Bindas lifeless body turned stiff and dry like wood. A woman gathering firewood in the area picked up what seemed like a dry log and took it home. When she broke the log to use as firewood, a small sparrow suddenly flew out and perched on a tree. The sparrow looked around, but the cart and oxen were nowhere to be found.

Determined to find his lost oxen, Kana Bindanow in the form of a sparrowflew back to the place where he had been crushed. Seeing no sign of his cart, he returned to his village, assembled another cart, and set off in search of the thief.

As he journeyed, he met the Wind.

The Wind asked, Kana Binda, Kana Binda! Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry

Kana Binda replied:

I must find my oxen, stolen far away,

Two have gone, and four were taken away.

The Wind asked, Can I join you

Kana Binda, being kindhearted, said, Of course, sister! Two are better than one.

A little farther down the road, he met the Rain.

The Rain asked, Kana Binda, Kana Binda! Where are you headed so urgently

Kana Binda repeated his reply:

I must find my oxen, stolen far away,

Two have gone, and four were taken away.

The Rain said, Can I come along

Kana Binda joyfully replied, Yes, my brother! Three are better than two.

Next, they met the Fire.

The Fire asked, Kana Binda, Kana Binda! Whats the rush Where are you off to

Again, he replied:

I must find my oxen, stolen far away,

Two have gone, and four were taken away.

The Fire said, I will join you.

Kana Binda welcomed the Fire and said, Yes, sister, you should come too! Three are good, but four are even better.

Further along, they encountered a pile of Stones.

The Stones asked the same question, and Kana Binda gave the same answer.

The Stones said, Let us come too.

Kana Binda agreed: Come along, brothers! Four is good, but five is even better. Five is divine.

Now, with Wind, Rain, Fire, and Stones as his companions, Kana Bindas cart rolled forward until he reached the village of thieves. He stopped in front of their leaders house and loudly declared:

O you tricksters! A thief may spare even a single house, but you spared none. Now your time has come. I am Kana Binda! My name is known across lands and seas. Return my cart and oxen at once, or you will face a terrible fate!

The thieves laughed at him. Their leader smirked and said, If your name is Kana Binda, ours is Supreme Thieves! You have walked straight into our lair. We never return what we steal.

Kana Binda grew furious. He turned to the Stones and said, Show them your strength, my friends!

With a mighty roar, the Stones began flying through the aircrash! bang! boom! They struck the thieves one by one. Some had their hands broken, some their feet, and others were left limping. But the thieves were too stubborn to give up. Their leader rallied them:

Brothers! We do not surrender! We are thieves, and we die as thieves!

Realizing that stones alone wouldnt defeat them, Kana Binda turned to the Fire.

Sister Fire, its your turn.

Fire leaped from the cart and set the entire village ablaze. Flames engulfed their homes, and the sky turned red with smoke. Yet, the thieves still resisted.

Seeing this, Kana Binda called upon the Wind.

My dear Wind, now its your time to act!

The Wind howled and fanned the flames, turning them into a raging inferno. The thieves screamed, their homes turning to ashes. Finally, defeated and terrified, they fell at Kana Bindas feet, crying:

Kana Binda, have mercy! Save our innocent children! Forgive us!

Kana Binda, though fierce, had a kind heart. He turned to the Rain and said, Brother Rain, now its your turn.

As soon as he spoke, dark clouds gathered, and rain poured down in torrents. The flames died, and the thieves shivered in the cold.

The thieves leader, now humbled, personally returned Kana Bindas cart and oxen. Kana Binda, still fuming, said, I should take away all your wealth as punishment, but I feel pity for your children. However, you must pay a fine. I will take two extra oxen and another cart.

The thieves had no choice but to agree. Kana Binda selected the strongest oxen and the best cart. Before leaving, he warned them:

Earn your wealth honestly, and you will live in peace. If you ever set foot in my land to steal again, I will not spare you.

And so, with his oxen, his cart, and his new companions, Kana Binda set off back to his village, celebrating his victory with music and song.